Pokemon at the Western Wall

The new Pokemon Go, the mobile app game which uses GPS to locate players and then make Pokemon appear on the phone screen in real-life locations, has made it to Jerusalem, with players saying they have spotted Pokemon at locations around Jerusalem, including the Western Wall. The game has taken off among American students visiting Israel, as well as Israeli soldiers. According to the Jerusalem Post, one recent post from the Facebook account “IDF Tweets” shows a picture of a fire-breathing dragon called a Chazard, flying alongside a plane with the caption “newest addition to the air force.” Some have said that it is not appropriate to play the game at sites like the Aushwitz-Birkenau state museum in Poland or at religious holy sites. Supporters say it encourages players to experience more of Israel in a new way.